WiiWare World: Gaijin Games Interview - Bit.Trip Beat

An extract from the Gaijin Games Interview - Bit.Trip Beat by WiiWare World:

"WW: What inspired you to create a game with a retro Atari 2600 style?

AN: The Atari 2600 is one of my favorite consoles. It's a system that dates back to an era where games were just that. Games. It seems more honest, more happy-go-lucky. Because of these nostalgic feelings that I have, I've always wanted to make a 2600-era retro game. It wasn't until I started getting into the chiptune scene that the idea seemed feasible. As the chiptune genre started getting legs, I saw a window of opportunity to make the game I've always wanted to make - something with 2600-style gameplay. The Gaijin team then worked out how to give it a much needed modern flair while retaining the simplistic gameplay. That's how we settled on a Pong-inspired gameplay mechanic mixed with music/rhythm gameplay using chiptune-inspired tunes.

WW: Which games inspired you to try your hand at the rhythm / music genre?

AN: This is a good question, because I think that music/rhythm games are underappreciated and I want to call out my favorites. Even before Guitar Hero and Rock Band, there were a lot of music games that inspired me to make a game in the genre. And while Guitar Hero and Rock Band are great games, they are not the ones that speak to me."